Four progressive' Democrats vie for Rush Holt's seat in Congress

Progressiveness and likeness to U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) is all the talk between four Democratic candidates looking to replace the longtime congressman.

Three state legislators — Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer), State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex), and Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula (D-Somerset) — and Andrew Zwicker, a newcomer who is a scientist at Princeton, square off Tuesday to see who faces Republican Alieta Eck in the November general election after Holt decided against seeking re-election.

Watson Coleman touts the fact she has been endorsed by all of the progressive organizations because she’s been a leader in the community.

“I’ve stood up for the city of Trenton, whether it’s education or funding for public safety or jobs or economic development,” she said.

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The 69-year-old said Holt has been progressive on women’s rights issues, civil rights, voting rights and privacy.

“I do believe that he and I do share similar views and he’s very involved with protecting the women’s right to choose and so I am,” Watson Coleman said. “We both recognize climate change and it has been proven by scientists that it does indeed exist, and will get worse if we don’t start fixing it.”

The assemblywoman who has served the 15th district for the past 16 years wants to improve education if elected to Congress.

“I think we have not succeeded in supporting public education and teaching children to learn, as opposed to passing a test,” she said. “Education is a great equalizer.”

Watson Coleman added she would like to be a part of the discussion on immigration reform..

“I want to make sure that we are providing a pathway that’s acceptable and affordable,” she said.

The Ewing resident is also not afraid to say what she feels.

In February, when she was a member of the legislative committee investigating Bridgegate, she went on national TV and called for Gov. Chris Christie’s resignation.

She did not hold back again on Tuesday.

“I think that Gov. Christie’s policies have been corrupting this state, and I believe that his policies have failed,” said Watson Coleman, who resigned from the Bridgegate committee shortly after her comments. “I had no problems in calling for his resignation because of these failed policies and practices.”

The assemblywoman will continue to call it out as she sees it if elected to Congress.

“I want to be with those who are willing to do things that make life better for this country and the citizens of this state,” she said. “When you are an obstructionist and you just say ‘no’ because you don’t like President Barack Obama, I will be the voice that speaks out.”

As another longtime member of the state legislature, Greenstein also likens herself to Holt.

“I think of all of the candidates, I’m the one who in so many ways is closest to Rush Holt,” the 63-year-old said. “I have a very broad background.”

Greenstein has received degrees from the Georgetown University Law Center, Johns Hopkins University, and Vassar College that she says have given her a variety of viewpoints to deal with very difficult and complicated issues in Congress.

If elected she seeks to keep social security and Medicare intact, pass a national minimum wage, make the Affordable Care Act work well for everybody and fight for equal pay for equal work for women.

“I’m also a very progressive person,” Greenstein said, noting all the candidates are fighting over that title. “I can’t say that for sure that I am, but I can tell you that I am very proud of my liberal progressive background. I’ve not only talked the talked about it, but I’ve walked the walk.”

Greenstein, who won her state senate in 2010 in a special election, said she spent a decade as a legal services attorney working for a nonprofit called the Community Health Law Project, which works with the disabled.

“If they were indigent and disabled, I probably worked with them and assisted them with legal issues,” she said of people in Newark, Bloomfield, Elizabeth and Asbury Park. “I don’t think you can too much more progressive than that.”

Greenstein added she has been involved with progressive legislation, such as ethics reforms, campaign finance reforms, and tax and environmental issues.

“I am a very active member of the legislature and I’ve been a leader in getting some legislation done that was very difficult to get through,” she said. “I feel really ready for this. I feel like it’s a very natural progression for me.”

The 14th district state senator serves on several legislative committees, including the Bridgegate panel and the budget committee.

Before she became senator, she served as an assemblywoman in the 14th district for 10 years from 2000 until 2010.

“We helped thousands with very complicated issues,” she said. “It’s been one of the hallmarks of my public service.”

The Plainsboro resident also says she feels close with Mercer County.

“I have been practically adopted by Mercer County,” she said of the county, which is partially situated in her district. “I very much enjoyed representing people here and I look forward to doing so in the new position.”

Coming from humble beginnings in India, Assemblyman Chivukula says he has made the best use of education to better himself.

He wants to focus on cities like Trenton and Plainfield if elected to Congress.

“We need to break the cycle of poverty,” the 63-year-old said. “Those areas have been neglected and as a congressman I will not only look after the suburban areas, also I’d put a lot of time into urban areas — invest in education, try to create jobs with various skill sets.”

“These kids growing up in poverty and having no hope, they’re really losing out on the human capital,” he added.

Chivukula, who serves the 17th district, is an electrical engineer by profession and has worked in the industry for 35 years.

He came to the U.S. as a student and believes in immigration reform.

“I’ve gone through the immigration process myself,” he said. “I understand what it is to become a U.S. citizen.”

The assemblyman for the past 13 years says he understands the global situation because of his international background and can apply his experiences to Congress.

The Franklin Township resident, who has served as mayor and councilman on the municipal level, said he is not a career politician.

“I was doing this political thing just to give back to the community on a part-time basis,” he said. “Like Congressman Rush Holt, I’m a scientist and an engineer.”

“I’m a progressive because I know how hard it is to start from humble beginnings and work my way up,” he added.

Finally, Zwicker, who is head of science education at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, knew Holt before he became a congressman.

“I run the programs he started years ago before he was a congressman,” Zwicker said, adding he has known Holt for 20 years. “He actually recruited me to Princeton to work on these education programs.”

Zwicker believes this link makes him the best person to continue Holt’s legacy.

“I’m different from than the other candidates in that my background as a scientist and as a teacher, which is the same that Rush Holt brought, means that I’m trained in analytical thinking, critical thinking and we really need that in Congress,” the South Brunswick resident said. “We have a do-nothing Congress that struggles to pass anything and we need to start sending people who are a different type of politician. Rush Holt showed us that a person who does use critical thinking to make policy decisions can be incredibly successful.”

The 50-year-old admits he is up against tough competition in the race.

“I’ve never held public office before this, but neither did Rush,” he said. “I knew what I was getting into before I started.”

Zwicker said he is not worried at all about his competition with a combined 43 years of state legislative experience.

“I think if I can manage to pull votes from everyone I have a chance,” he said. “I’m the long-shot candidate.”

As a scientist, Zwicker said he is well aware what the polls say.

“That’s OK,” he said. “(Tuesday) decides it as opposed to all the speculation that’s been going on.”

About the Author

Originally from Webster, N.Y., David has been a reporter in N.J. for the past three years (first in Phillipsburg and now in Trenton).He is a Temple alum who interned at the Philadelphia Daily News. Reach the author at dfoster@trentonian.com
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